Let’s Talk (571) 882-2925

EMDR Therapy

How EMDR helps.

​Eye Movement Desensitization Movement Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy involves the use of eye movements (or tapping) to stimulate your brain’s natural healing system, helping you to adopt more constructive ways of viewing yourself and the world around you.  EMDR is recognized as an “A” level of trauma treatment (World Health Organization), and it is recognized by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as one of two empirically supported treatments of choice for adult PTSD.

EMDR is different from other approaches because it doesn’t focus on relaxation or trying to change your negative thoughts. Instead, EMDR uses rapid eye movements to help you process and come to terms with distressing experiences. The goal is for you to no longer feel upset by these experiences and to believe that they are in the past, not in your present.

EMDR  is an effective form of therapy that can help you to resolve the following issues:

  • Old issues from your past that leave you feeling stuck.
  • Unhelpful beliefs you hold about yourself or others (sense of defectiveness, fear about safety, and/or lack of control).
  • Recent or historic traumas and losses

Riding on a train metaphor.

The metaphor commonly used to describe EMDR processing is the metaphor of riding on a train. EMDR utilizes a dual awareness: the client is aware they are safe and present here and now, while at the same time able to “watch” the images, sensations, and feelings associated with a memory pass by much as the scenery passes by for a passenger on a train.

During a session, you will be guided to hold an image of a memory in mind.  Through discussions, you may have gained some insight about what negative belief the memory is linked to, and will discuss what you would prefer to believe about yourself.  In addition, I will ask you about what sensations they notice in their body as they hold the image in mind.

As you notice what comes up for you, I will guide the processing using bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements) to process the information by stimulating one side of your brain followed by the other.  Similar to riding on a train, the sights, sounds, feelings, thoughts, images, and body sensations related to the memory pass by like the scenery outside a train window.

We will work together to reprocess the memory, often resulting in decreased disturbance for you related to the memory as well as new, more adaptive beliefs about yourself and the meaning of the experience.

One interesting aspect of our memories is that they are stored in networks. This means that when we work to reprocess a specific memory along with any negative beliefs associated with it, the benefits can extend to other memories linked to the original one. This process can help reduce the distress associated with those related memories.

How can you recognize that you might need EMDR?

  • You have been feeling stressed, anxious, or burned out.
  • You feel unlovable and need to please others.
  • You are easily startled, nervous, or jumpy.
  • You feel detached, heavy, or lethargic.
  • You have become fixated on certain thoughts, or you find yourself obsessing over certain things.
  • You find it hard to trust people and feel safe.

EMDR Therapy is open to clients in-person in Jacksonville and Saint Johns, FL.

Please call me at (571) 882-2925 for a free phone consultation to discuss how EMDR therapy will help you to provide healing to your past and increase your self-esteem and resilience.  EMDR therapy is most effective when conducted weekly versus biweekly.